Nigel Butler: Telling his people’s stories through art

After this there was no going back; Nigel is already looking forward to this year’s Guyana Fashion Week.

Among those who have been an inspiration to him, Nigel shared, are his mother, then his cousin, Kenneth Butler who he grew up seeing doodling and drawing all the time and mentors and artists Winston Craig (sculptor), and George Simon (painter).

Many of Nigel’s paintings follow a pattern of a portrait of someone with landscape for a background. This is done to tell a story. For the artist, the most challenging part is the portrait, and this is where all the patience he learnt comes in. Sculpting takes him one to three weeks sometimes, while his painting can find him at it for three days and at other times, just hours.

A man who likes listening to music, Nigel admitted that many times the concept for his paintings come from listening to music. This same music soothes him while he works. Other times, boredom is his other inspiration.

Whenever he’s sculpting, Nigel uses wire, cement or wood. At one time he used all three and when he paints he likes to use washes and opaque techniques.

Nigel hopes that in the near future he will have a solid foundation for his art and will become a household name in Guyana. If things go as he wishes then, he will someday open a gallery, where artists will be encouraged to not just be original or unique but to find themselves and to freely express.

Interested persons can contact Nigel via Facebook or can call him on 674-2782.